College Admission Planning Calendar - Senior Year
Follow this month-by-month list to stay on track your senior year.
- Meet with your counselor early in the year to review your progress.
- Decide if you want to re-take the ACT or SAT Tests. Information on the fall test dates and deadlines is available online.
- Be sure to check your Naviance account for updated information from the Counseling Department and to view the list of scheduled college visits.
- Meet with college representatives who come to CDH this fall. Attendance at these meetings will give you additional information and a chance to get your questions answered. Sign up for college visits using your Naviance account. The system will remind you that you will need to come to the Counseling Department and get a pass to attend.Approval from your classroom teacher is required.
- Attend the Minnesota National College Fair at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Annual dates/information can be found online. This is a great opportunity to get information from colleges nationwide.
- Reduce your preliminary college list to those to which you will apply (usually 3-7 schools). Most schools will encourage you to apply online.
- Check with your schools to determine what financial aid forms will be necessary.
- If you intend to apply to any schools “Early Decision” or “Early Action”, start completing your applications now.
- Finalize your college essays and be sure to PROOFREAD them very carefully.
- Continue your search for private scholarship funds by checking the scholarship listings on your Naviance account.
- Submit CDH Application Contracts for colleges with November 1st or November 15th deadlines to the Counseling Department by mid October so secondary school reports and transcripts can be sent on time.
- Complete the forms necessary to apply for financial aid. Both the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the PROFILE (required by some schools) are available online. Review scholarship materials for appropriate applications.
- If you intend to apply to Minnesota Technical Colleges, apply this fall as some programs fill fast and have waiting lists.
- Remember that you are responsible for reporting your test scores directly from the testing agencies. Score reports can be ordered online at ACT or College Board for the SAT.
- Continue working on and complete college applications by the appropriate deadline.
- Schedule admission interviews when necessary.
- All requests for application materials with January 1st or later deadlines MUST be in to the Counseling Department for processing by the first week in December to be sure they can be completed and sent before the Christmas break. Be sure to check your admission deadlines carefully.
- Check your application status where you have applied. Is your application complete? When can you expect a decision? Is there anything else the colleges need to have from you?
- Be sure to meet deadlines for financial aid and housing at the colleges you are considering.
- Review your Student Financial Aid Report for accuracy.
- Rank your college choices.
- Review your results; acceptances, waiting list, denials and financial aid packages. If you are concerned about your options, see your counselor immediately.
- If you have been placed on a waiting list, be sure to let the college know if you are still interested in being considered. Information about any additional grades or accomplishments may also be sent to the school at this time.
- Decide which college you will attend, accept your offer of admission and pay your enrollment deposit by May 1st.
- "Double Depositing”, or making enrollment deposits at more than one college is strongly discouraged except in the case where you have been placed on a waiting list. See your counselor if you need more help.
- If you intend to attend a state university in WI, ND or SD, be sure to file a “reciprocity” form to register to receive in-state tuition. Forms are available online.
- Notify all the colleges to which you have applied of your final decision, graciously declining any other offers of admission.
- Write a thank you note to all those who wrote letters of recommendation for you. Let them know what college you plan to attend.
- Complete your graduation survey with your College Counselor and indicate where you would like your final transcript to be sent. CDH school policy is to send only ONE final transcript to the school the student will attend. Transcripts are sent mid-June when third trimester grades have been posted and tuition accounts are up-to-date. No other final transcript request is necessary.
ENJOY YOUR GRADUATION - CONGRATULATIONS - BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!
